Prayer and Preaching

Prayer and Preaching

When you look up references to Prayer in the holy Quran, you realize how primary and compulsory prayer is. It is the most important pillar of Islam. There is no better, higher and superior way of remembering Allah than that of Prayer. Regular observance of Prayer ensures that one does not forget Allah. How do we turn to Allah? Through Prayer. How do we get the grace to repent? Through Prayer. How are our sins forgiven? Ihrough Prayer. of self, enhanced beauty of character, of life's affairs - all these can be achieved through instrument of Prayer.

The super highway Of guidance illumined and pursuing it is rendered easy by Prayer gets The most important mark of identity of a God fearing and pious human being is his observance of Prayer. It proves that he has unassailable belief in the existence of God, that he is at his beck and call and that he stands for unquestioning loyalty to God. In the lives and teachings of all God's Messengers Prayer occupies a predominant place. They repeatedly insisted upon their respective followers that they should be strict in the observance of Prayer and took a pledge from them in this regard and prohibited both abandonment of and indifference to Prayer and warned them of direct consequences if Prayer was neglected in their lives.Prayer is abandoned in communities noted for their deviation from and disregard of the teachings and instructions of the Prophets. The Quran asserts that the rebels and rejecters are not willing to bow and prostrate before the One God. Their lives are without Prayer and without light. Consequently they think and act in a perverted manner and wander hither and thither. the Hereafter will appear exposing their failure and frustration before their eyes and their situation would be beyond redemption.

Each Prayer with its own time schedule is to be compulsorily offered five times a day. Observance of the schedule is necessary. Mandatpry Prayers haveto be offered In the mosques. Construction of and attendance in mosques are encouraged as a sign of faith. It is binding upon Muslims
to offer mandatory Prayers in the mosques and the excellence of such a practice can be gauged from the fact that it fetches a reward twenty-five or twenty-seven times greater than the reward given for praying at home. The significance of enjoined ancillary Prayers (sunan mokkida) is next only to that of compulsory main Prayer as the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) with regard to it has been consistent. They cannot be neglected wantonly In addition, there is exhortation to offer the third category Of Prayers. This extra category is known as 'Nawafil' because it is additional and optional. Every time a Muslim prostrates with his face to the ground, his Sins are forgiven and he is upgraded.

'Tahajjud', a prayer Usually offered during the small hours preceding the dawn,is a powerful means of getting closer to God. For the Messenger of Allah, (blessings and peace be upon him) this Prayer was compulsory and not optional. A special feature of saintly persons is that they keep awake to stand and wait on Allah when others are fast asleep. Keeping in mind the significance of Prayer role in establishing and strengthening the Allah, a Muslim cannot afford to neglect it. He will make an integral part of his life and give it a most visible prominencein all his activities. The preachers particular, have to perform the Prayers dutifully. In no Circumstance should they neglect them. What is of primary importance in religion should continue to have that status. By relegating or renouncing it, one cannot do justice to the task of preaching Islam.